Ice is off the East River in Allouez, helped along by 0.43
inches of rain in the evening of 03/30. It froze over for the winter
on Dec 14, so the period of continuous ice cover was 106 days. The
earliest date of ice-off at this site over the last 20 years was
February 24 and the latest was April 10 (range of 45 days); the
average date was March 22.

Acer saccharinum (silver
maple) in flower (anthesis), City of Green Bay. The average
date of first flower for this tree over the last 20 years is March
25 and dates have ranged from March 6 to April 5.

Bright and sunny in Green Bay with high predicted in the mid 50's.
Melt water is everywhere and puddles are making unpaved trails soft.

First day on UWGB for Water
Striders and also the first day for Woodcock. If
anyone has earlier sightings from Brown County, I'd like to include
them here.

Killdeers and Belted Kingfishers return to Shawano
County (Joel Whitehouse).

Mar 27

Another warm day with a high temperature
of 49° F in Green Bay. Several new sightings for me in Green Bay:
Killdeer (Brown Co, Bellevue and Howard), Song Sparrow
(Brown Co., Howard), Milbert's Tortoiseshell butterfly (Howard).
Also the buds of Salix discolor
(pussy willow) and Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) have
begun to open in Brown County, but they are not close to flowering
yet.

Mar 26

High temperature of 43° F in Green Bay
brought out the runners, walkers and even a few convertible automobiles
and motorcycles. There was a big decrease in the snow cover and by
late in the afternoon many little streams were flowing nicely.

Mar 24

Eastern Chipmunk out and about, Oconto
County, Pensaukee (Tom Erdman); also in Brown County, City of Green
Bay (Bob Howe).

Mar 22

The first Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage) are
in flower at UWGB. Last year the first date of flower was Feb 24.
The number of plants is greatly diminished compared to just a few
years ago. I first noted a problem with the plants in 2001and included
this photograph of healthy
and unhealthy plants in the phenology page. They appear
to be diseased, but I have not attempted to investigate the cause
of the problem. I would appreciate any information from others who
have observed similar events or who may have a hypothesis as to
the cause of the problem. Other populations of skunk cabbage have
been completely eliminated by dense growth of Phragmites
australis where there are gaps in the forest canopy.

First Eastern Chipmunk of the season in a bird feeder at
the Forest Service office in Lakewood, Oconto County (Steve Janke).

Mar 21

Red-winged Blackbirds return to Shawano
County, near the City of Shawano (Joel Whitehouse).

Mar 20

In spite of the snowfall that continued
into this morning (6.5 inches from late on the 18th through early
today), the warm temperatures have returned a spring-like feeling
to the air. The snow is melting quickly and we now have small, but
significant flocks of returning Red-wing Blackbirds in our
East River marshes in Allouez (part of the Greater Green Bay area).
Last year we had the first returning flocks here on Feb 28th (3 weeks
earlier).

Mar 19

A major winter storm dropped 5.8 inches of snow on the Green bay
area today, plus 0.5 inches before midnight on the 18th [and anadditional
0.2 inches after midnight, into the 20th]. Some places in far western
Wisconsin got over 20 inches of snow in this storm.

Mar 17

Flock of 40-50 Bohemian waxwings at the Forest Service office
in Lakewood, Oconto County (Steve Janke)..

Daily temperatures in March have been averaging about 8 degrees
F below the long-term average in Green Bay. Yesterday's high was
35 F and today is forecast above freezing also, but still well below
the average high of 39.

People have been reporting a few Red-winged Blackbirds returning
to our area over the last week or two, but still no flocks have
returned.

Sandhill cranes have returned along
the Wolf River, Shawano (Joel Whitehouse).

Mar 15

Today's botany
quiz. Try the link to see a photo and see if you recognize
the species, then click here for theanswer and a closer look at today's species.

Mar 14

Sandhill Cranes have returned to the wetlands of Green Bay's
west shore, Town of Pensaukee, Oconto County (Tom Erdman). Several
people have reported a few Red-winged Blackbirds back, but no large
flocks yet.

Snow is mostly gone from open fields and lawns in Green Bay, but
remains where drifted, piled or shaded.

Mar 13

Green Bay's low temperature this morning
was -3° F (the record low for the date is -4 F).

Mar 11

We received another 1.4 inches of snow today in Green Bay.

Mar 10

Snow cover is thin
and icy on open sites in the Green Bay area, following alternating
warm and cold temperatures in the last week. Light snow began this
morning about 7 a.m. and 1-3 inches is predicted for Green Bay [we
actually received 1.8 inches od snow].

today's botany
quiz. Try the link to see a photo and see if you recognize
the species, then click here for theanswer and a closer look at today's species.

Mar 08

today'swinter
botany quiz. Try the link to see a photo and see if you recognize
the species, then click here for theanswer and a closer look at today's species.

Mar 07

The warm weather was brief as a little rain this morning was followed
by sleet and finally snow. Temperatures are predicted to fall throughout
the day to single digits tonight.

Large numbers of "winter
stoneflies" (or "snowflies" in this case)
on the snow at Baird Creek Park. They are in the group of insects
known as Plecoptera and this one is probably in the family Capniidae
[thanks to Dr. Mike Draney for the identification]. I'm told they
were independently reported from the same general location about
9 days ago. You might also be interested in the snow
fleas that we discussed in our "econotes" in 2001.

Mar 06

Green Bay had a high temperature of 41°
F yesterday and 48° F today. Most snow on level sunny sites
has melted, but there is still a lot of snow in banks and drifts and
in shaded areas.

Mar 04

A little warmer today, but we also got a little more snow (1.4
inches).

today'swinter
botany quiz. Try the link to see a photo and see if you
recognize the species, then click here for theanswer and a closer look at today's species.